Ryen felt dizzy for a moment, and then found himself standing in a huge stone courtyard surrended by animals. He gaped - there was a lion over there, and a pair of goats behind him. A Great Dane wearing a tattered T-shirt plodded over and sniffed him, then barked.
"Welcome, Ryan." A beautiful woman dressed in a white toga came out of an opening and walked towards him. "And what kind of animal do you wish to become?"
He stepped back, suddenly afraid. "I don't want to be any kind of animal! I was just interested in talking to you."
She smiled. "Silly boy. No man meets Circe and remains a man. You are young and strong, and you obviously take great pride in your size and muscles. How would you like to be the most powerful, massive male on my island?"
"Will you send me home when you are done?" Ryan did not know what she was planning, but if he could get back to the mansion, his friends might find a way to help him. "My little brother and my friends will be worried about me."
Circe laughed and nodded. "I will be happy to send you back, Ryan. And your freinds and your brother will have only to touch you once, and they will never want to leave you again."
He started to ask what she meant by that, but his voice was already a horse's, and he whinnied as his body began to swell. Falling forward, he felt his face push out, and his hands and feet go numb. He twisted a longer neck around and saw that he was becoming a horse. And not jst any horse. He was a massive black stud stallion, one of the draft horses that used to carry knights in armor.
"You make a handsome animal, Ryan!" Circe grinned and waved her hands. "Say hello to your freinds and your little brother for me." Then he felt dizzy again.
Ryan found himself back in the mansion - still a draft horse. Confused and frightened, he managed to plod his way out of the house and onto the overgrown lawn. He discovered that being a horse felt perfectly normal, and that scared him.
"Oh, cool!" He heard a familiar voice. It was Johnny! The 11-year old must have followed him out. "Where did you come from, boy?" He tuned back and shouted into the house. "Hey, Ryan! Guys! There's a huge horse out here!" Then his little brother reached out to pet him. Eager to make contact, Ryan nuzzled him gently, but then jerked his head back when he rmembered Circe's warning. One touch... He looked at Johnny and realized it was already too late.